Spraying machine



May 27, 1941. w. M. SFRENG SPRAYING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

WARREN M SPRENG ATTORNEYS May 27, 1941. w. M. SPRENG SPRAYING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. WARREN M.. PRENG BY ATTORNEY .5

W. M. SPRENG SPRAYING MACHINE May 27, 1941.

Original Filed Sept. 12, 1958 24 c; zz

32 I BY WARREN W 5, v-

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT OR.

ATTORNEYS Patented May 27, 1941 SPRAYING MACHINE Warren M. Spreng, Ashland, Ohio, assignor to The F. E. Myers & Bro. (30., Ashland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application September 12, 1938, Serial No. 229,432. Divided and this application May 11, 1939, Serial No. 273,040

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in spraying machines adapted particularly to the needs of small estates, truck gardeners and florists, in most of such uses the areas to be treated by the machine being comparatively small.

There has been a need or demand for a lowpriced, small capacity power operated sprayer for such uses as just stated, including the spraying of shrubbery and flowers in private homes and on estates. The production of such a machine is an object of this invention,

It is a further object of my invention to provide a frame having side bars, with handle bars pivoted to the side bars, the handles being capable of folding near the side bars, and also being capable of swinging on the pivots to a position to the rear of the side bars in order to make the handles spread apart, thus making it possible to use the machine when the handles are in folded position in small areas, and making it possible when the handles are extended and spread apart, to operate the machine over larger uneven surfaces, as in truck gardens.

This application is a division of my application Ser, No. 229,432, filed September 12, 1938.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire apparatus and its adjuncts, such as its discharge hose, and its power motor, which in this instance is a gasoline engine.

Figure 2 shows a frame-like structure which in part is external to the tank and in another part is within the tank. The outer portion of the frame extends from the wheel axle to a point above the tank; and the inner portion extends down into the tank and has connection with the pump casing.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view of a part of the pump casing and the clamps mounted thereon and carrying resilient strips of material which function to respond to the different positions taken by the pump which result from the inclinations the pump receives when the wrist pin is rotated. See also Figures9 and 10 where the pump casing is shown in two leaning positions.

Figure 4 is a partial vertical section and a the mechanism when an electric motor is the sprayer must be wheeled.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the barrow-like frame and wheel with the handles in folded position, that is, lined up with the horizontal frame members, for use where the machine has only to be moved short distances, as between the benches in small greenhouses, and can be operated by taking hold of the cross-bar.

Figure 7 is another plan view of the barrowlike frame and the wheel, with the handles in two positions-one shown in dotted lines for use in narrow places, as inside a greenhouse; and the other in full lines, for use in larger places, that is over cultivated ground in flower and vegetable gardens or over uneven surfaces where it is necessary to have the handles spread or flared at the outer ends in order to effectively maintain the proper balance of the machine without unnecessary effort.

Figure 8 is an enlarged view, partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section, of the pump and its several features, such as the suction strainer, the pump casing, the flexible guides, the discharge spout, the pump plunger, the connecting rod, the head of the shaft, the wrist pin therefor and the sleeve mounted in the wrist pin, and also the shaft bearing in which is mounted the pump actuating shaft.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the pump structure and its flexible guides, with the pump structure inclined from the vertical because when the connecting rod reciprocates, the rest of the pump is moved into an incline, as the head of the shaft then tips the pump structure as the connecting rod inclines as it passes through the circle of its rotation.

Figure 10 is a like view to Figure 9, of the same parts, with the pump casing tipped out of the vertical when the connecting rod is in another position as it passes through a circular course.

Figure 11 is a detail enlarged plan view showing the handle bars spread apart in the rear as for field use.

Figure 12 is a similar view, being a detail plan view enlarged, to show the extension of the handles rearwardly but without spreading them apart.

Figure 13 is a side elevation of one form of th pump mounting.

Figure 14 is a detail sectional view of a portion of the belt pulley showing its V-groove and a cross-sectional view of the V-belt.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing nearly all of the features or the machine and their relation to each other. 'I'he'numeral I designates a tank adapted to be charged with a spraying liquid which it is desired to apply to growing plants. There are several such liquids of that character, for which reason, I do not limit the use of my apparatus to any one particular spraying fluid. As seen from Figure 1, most of the mechanism is outside of the tank.

I will flrst describe the frame-structure illustrated in Figure 2. The outer part of this frame is composed of a pair of bars 2 extending from the axle of the wheel I. These portions extend upward and overhang the tank I and are connected by a cross-piece 4. These parts are shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The other portion of this frame comprises a vertical post I which runs down into the tank for a purpose later to appear. This post 5 is secured to the cross-piece 4 of the frame 2, and, in turn, has secured to it the brace 6 (see Fig. 13). This brace 6 is also connected to the post 5 by the cross-piece 1. A bracket 8 is connected to the bars 2 of the general frame. Mounted on the cross-piece 4 of the frame 2 is a shaft bearing l0. Within this bearing is mounted a pump actuating shaft II. This shaft extends beyond the bracket 8 and carries a driven belt wheel l2, which is driven by a gasoline engine ll of any desired make or type. This engine is located on a shelf l4 carried by the bars or general frame '2. The shaft I5 of the engine carries the pulley I6 preferably with a V-shaped groove l1 to receive a belt I8, V-shaped in crosssection.

The air chamber I9 is mounted in any convenient place and by any convenient means, such as being mounted, in Figures 1, 2 and 4, on the plate lab, which in turn is supported by a beam lac. In Figure 13, this air chamber I9 is mounted on the shaft bearing III. This chamber carries a gauge l9a to indicate the pressure to which the fluid is subjected as it goes through the hose 20 to the plants under treatment. 7

I will now make reference to the pump proper and its adjuncts which are best shown in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 8. Within the shaft bearing I0 is the pump actuating shaft ll referred to above. This shaft ll carries an enlarged head 2|, which in turn is equipped with a wrist pin 22 placed eccentrically to the center of the actuating shaft II.

To connect the connecting rod 23 with the wrist pin, a sleeve 24 is mounted on the wrist pin 22. The sleeve 24 has a slight projection 25 into which the connecting rod 23 is inserted and held therein by a clamping bolt 28, so as to reciprocate the connecting rod.

The pump proper, and as a whole, is shown best in Figure 8, and is designated 21. It comprises a cylinder 28a and 28b and has a discharge spout 29- through which part of the pumped spraying liquid passes into the flexible tube or hose 30, on the upstroke, and through which a smaller part of the fluid passes on the downstroke of the pump plunger II, and which fluid goes thence to the air chamber l2 and from there through the hose 20 and thence through the nozzle 20d.

On the upstroke of the plunger 3| the liquid is drawn through the suction strainer 32 up past the then lifted valve ll, and as the upward stroke of the plunger continues the fluid will pass the valve 34 and most or all of it will pass into the spout 29 and on through the hose 30 over .the route mentioned above. Then when the downstroke is made, so much of the fluid as did not passout on the upstroke will be brought down and into the spout 2! and the rest of the course of the fluid.

Referring now to the pump mounting shown in Figure 13, it will be observed that the pump casing 21 carries a crossbar 35. This crossbar, in turn, supports tw s -ing plates or strips 34, which yield when the pump casing is inclined from the vertical as stated above. These spring elements may be constructed in various ways, but my preference is to make them of laminations of rubber and fabric, and to connect the upper and lower ends of these laminatedstrips to transverse yokes 350, one end of each yoke being gripped by the post 5. The efiect of this construction is to hold the upper and lower ends of each of said yokes rigid, while the crossbar I5 is free to act on the resilient strips 36 to make them bend or yield when the pump casing occupies the inclined positions to the vertical heretofore referred to. 'And further, the several strips or laminations are held together by several bolts for each strip, the bolts of each lamination having a washer to prevent the adjacent nut from marring or injuring the contacting iamination.

In Figure 3 I show a slight modification of the pump mounting by the addition of the supporting bar 5a and by the omission from the figures of the yokes 35a.

This pump mounting, it will be seen, is characterized by an element or elements which permit a movement of the cylinder when it is agitated by the crank action on the plunger rod.

Note that in Figure 9 the lower portion of the pump is swung to the left-hand as shown by the vertical line a; while in Figure 10 the pump proper has been swung to the right of the line b.

I shall now refer to the skeleton frame which embraces the tank, preferably at diametrical points. This frame consists of side bars 31 secured by plates 38 hung on the trunnions 39. The trunnions are secured to the tank which contains the spraying liquid. The forward end of the frame is secured as by welding to the bars 2. The rear ends of the bars 31 are joined together by a rod 4| which also forms a handle by which to manipulate the sprayer when it is in very close quarters, such as between the benches in small greenhouses.

- To the steering frame bars 31, I attach extensions in the form of handles such as 42, one at either side. These handle extensions are hinged to the frame bars 31. Each of the hinges is composed of a vertical pin 43 and a sleeve 44 to which the handle bars, respectively, are preferably welded. To keep the handle in its folded position I provide two ears 45 and a cotter pin 46. By removing this cotter pin 46, the handle can be swung around to the rear to be held by another pair of ears 41, into which the same cotter pin 46 can be transferred.

The handles may be set in the position shown in Figure 7 and in Figure 11, say when it is desired to spread the handles apart to more steadily hold the machine when it is being wheeled over uneven surfaces in outside truck and flower gardens. To secure this flared position see the arrangements illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 and in Figures 11 and 12.

To the frame bars 31 there are secured the pintles or short shafts 43. On these pintles, sleeves or tubes 44 are fitted. The sleeves have projections 44a which join handle bars 42. This arrangement forms an offset which throws the forward end-of the handle bars 42 inward of the frame bars 31 and allows the handle bars 42 to swingoutward at an angle, so as to widen the space between these handle bars when it is desired to do so.

To secure the change of position of the handle bars 42 from that shown in Figures 6 and 12 to the position shown in Figures 7 and 11, the sleeve 44 is taken off the pintle 43, and the handle is turned over half a circle. This brings the handle from the position shown in Figures 6 and 12 to that shown in Figures 7 and 11. In this latter position the handle is secured to the frame bar 31 by a cotter pin 46 placed in the opening 4|a of the rear ear 4! as seen in Figures 7 and 11.

When it is desired to place the handle bars 42 forward against the frame bars 31, all one has to do is to remove the cotter pins 46 from the rear cars 41, remove the handle bars from the pintles, turn these handle bars 42 back through the half circle referred to, place the sleeves 44 over the pintles 43 and swing the handle bars forward parallel with and slightly under the frame bars 31, until they come to rest in the forward ears 45 in which the cotter pin 46 is again placed to secure the handle bars firmly in position.

In Figure 4 an electric motor l2a, as stated above, is shown. And in Figure 1 a gasoline engine I3 is shown as the motive power. Either of these power devices may be used.

In Figure 4 of the drawings I have shown a safety valve comprising a tube 48 extending downward from the air chamber I9 and having a conventional pressure or spring valve 49. The purpose of this safety valve is that if the pressure of the fluid becomes too high, the valve will yield and permit the excess liquid to flow from the air chamber.

While I prefer to use a V-belt and a belt pulley adapted to such belt, I wish it understood that I do not confine myself to this particular type of belt and pulley.

It will be observed that this invention affords a power spraying machine in which the mecha- -nism performs numerous useful functions. I

regard these functions as being not only useful but novel.

It is understood, of course, that this invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown, since obvious modifications may be made within the scope of this invention by persons skilled in the art.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A portable spraying machine comprising a tank for holding spray material, a pump, an opcrating mechanism adapted to withdraw spray material from said tank, a. rectangular frame for supporting the tank and pump operating mechanism, spaced handle members attached to the rear part of said frame and adjustable in one position to form substantially a longitudinal extension of the side members of said frame toward the rear of said machine, and in another position to be folded forward against the sides of said machine.

2. A portable spraying machine comprising a tank for holding spray material, a pump, an operating mechanism adapted to withdraw spray material from said tank, a rectangular frame for supporting the tank and pump operating messianism, adjustable handle members attached ad- J'acent the rear cross-bar of said frame, said handle members being hingedly mounted on the rear portion of the side bars forming said rectangular frame and adjustable in one position to form substantially a longitudinal extension of said side bars, and in another position to be spread laterally at an angle to said side bars.

3. A portable spraying machine comprising a rectangular frame, a tank for holding spray material mounted on said frame, a pump and operating mechanism arranged on said frame and adapted to withdraw spray material from said tank, said rectangular frame comprising side bars and a rear cross bar adapted to be used as an auxiliary handle for guiding the spraying machine, and adjustable handle members pivoted to said frame in close proximity to said rear cross bar, said handle members being adjustable in one position to form substantially a longitudinal extension of said frame side bars and extend to the rear of said machine, and in another position to be spread laterally at an angle to said side bars and be retained fixed for guiding the machine.

4. A portable spraying machine comprising a rectangular frame, a tank for holding spray material mounted on said frame, a pump and operating mechanism arranged on said frame and adapted to withdraw spray material from said tank, said rectangular frame comprising side bars and a rear cross bar forming an auxiliary handle means for guiding the machine, adjustable handle members pivotally attached to the rear part of said side bars and adjacent said cross bar, said handle members being adapted to be placed in one position to form substantially a longitudinal extension of said side bars, and in another position to be folded forward against the sides of said machine and substantially adjacent the side bars of said frame.

WARREN M. SPRENG. 

